Melanoma: when to do a genetic screen in patients with a positive family history ?

Selection criteria for genetic assessment of patients with familial melanoma.

Leachman SA, Carucci J, Kohlmann W, Banks KC, Asgari MM, Bergman W, Bianchi-Scarrà G, Brentnall T, Bressac-de Paillerets B, Bruno W, Curiel-Lewandrowski C, de Snoo FA, Debniak T, Demierre MF, Elder D, Goldstein AM, Grant-Kels J, Halpern AC, Ingvar C, Kefford RF, Lang J, MacKie RM, Mann GJ, Mueller K, Newton-Bishop J, Olsson H, Petersen GM, Puig S, Rigel D, Swetter SM, Tucker MA, Yakobson E, Zitelli JA, Tsao H.

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009 Oct;61(4):677.e1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2009.03.016.

• There is clearly a tendency of melanoma to run in families and the disease does tend to affect lighter skin and those with multiple nevi.
• 5% to 10% of melanoma may be hereditary in nature, and about 2% of melanoma can be specifically attributed to pathogenic germline mutations in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A)
• This review tries to identify those who could benefit from genetic screening.

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Contributors

Dr Christophe Hsu – dermatologist. Geneva, Switzerland